Pan across galaxy pair Arp 116

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This video shows Hubble observations of Arp 116, a pair of galaxies made up of a giant elliptical galaxy known as M60, and a much smaller spiral galaxy, NGC 4647.

Astronomers have long tried to determine whether these two galaxies are actually interacting. Although they overlap as seen from Earth, there is no evidence of new star formation, which would be one of the clearest signs that the two galaxies are indeed interacting. However, recent studies of very detailed Hubble images suggest the onset of some tidal interaction between the two.

Although not visible here, just below and to the right of M60, is their even smaller neighbour M60-UCD1.

An international team of astronomers has found a supermassive black hole at the centre of M60-UCD1 with the mass of 20 million Suns.